The Mystery of X
by Sir Alwick
Summary: ON HIATUS: For years now Robin has been chasing a stranger, a man who somehow managed to steal the precious Xynothium fueld power suit right out from under him. And still he is left wondering: who is Red X? The answer, he finds, is one he never expected
1. Chapter 1

**The Lab**

Robert Dutkiewicz groaned in discomfort, the handle of the heavy metal briefcase digging into his hand as he walked down the pristine corridor of the research facility. After a few paces he swapped it from one hand to the other then continued on his way. He rounded a corner. The main lab was just a few yards in front of him. He could see the reinforced glass doors, the ones with Lab 417B written in plain black text. He fanned his key card in front of the reader and made his way inside.

Across the lab with her face buried in the ocular piece of a microscope sat his colleague. Her name was Vanessa Malhotra. She was an American born woman of Indian heritage, and, much like himself, had worked her way through school, several internships and low paying positions, before finally securing a job working in R&D for the Jump City branch of Wayne Tech enterprises. She was about thirty years old and of average build. She was no supermodel but kept in shape and was quite pretty with soft brown eyes and a lovely smile.

Ever since she had set foot through the doors of Wayne Tech Robert had been infatuated with Vanessa. She was everything he had ever looked for in a woman, smart, funny, beautiful. But the geek in him had always prevented him from ever making his feelings known. He had never had much confidence in himself. Though only 33 he was prematurely bald. Much of the hair towards the front of his head had gone the way of the dodo, leaving him with a pronounced widows peak. He was an awkward combination of tall and skinny, and was without much muscle definition.

"Evening, Professor Malhotra," Robert said politely as he made his way across the lab.

"Good evening, Professor Dutkiewicz," replied Vanessa, looking up from the eyepiece and smiling. Her eyes wandered to the metal suitcase in his hand. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Indeed it is."

Showing the utmost care, Robert set the case down on the nearest table and released the locks. With steady hands, he opened the lid. Inside was a sleeve of plain black padding containing three depressions. Inside each depression was a single vial of brightly colored red liquid.

"Xynothium." Vanessa's tone was almost hypnotic as the name drifted over her lips and into the sterile atmosphere of the lab. "I've never actually seen any of it in person, let alone ever had a chance to work with it."

"Same here."

Ever so gently, Vanessa removed one of the vials from the case. With wide and wondering eyes she studied the liquid and marveled at the possibilities.

Robert stood to Vanessa's right and leaned down, joining her in studying the vial of Xynothium. "So much power in such a small package," he said. "It's apparently becoming kind of a rarity."

"I've heard. A lot of rumors about shipments disappearing from labs all over the country. Think there's any truth to them?"

"Ehh. I guess there were a few break-ins but most of the reports are unconfirmed. You know how the media likes to runaway with these things. Anyway why don't we get started?"

Vanessa nodded and set the vial back down into the case. "You want to run the first battery of tests?"

Before Robert could respond he was suddenly interrupted by a voice from above. "That won't be necessary," it said, and from out of the ceiling tiles came a figure. Barely making a sound, it landed gracefully on the linoleum flooring, mere inches away from the two scientists who stood wide eyed at the sudden intrusion

The figure was unlike anything either of them had ever seen. He had the build of a man, roughly five foot ten and appearing somewhere around 180 pounds. He was an impressive physical specimen, the perfect mesomorph with broad shoulders, a trim waist line, and long muscular arms and legs. The mask he wore was terrifying, a ghastly skull shape with empty, lifeless white eyes and missing lower jaw. The rest of the costume was mostly black with a few splashes of grey on the gloves and boots. His cape was black and the belt around his waist apeared to be very high tech with various switches and compartments. The most striking thing about the man's outfit, however, were the red X shapes that appeared on both his forehead and off center to left on his chest.

Vanessa was quick to grasp the severity of the situation and immediately sprang for the emergency call button on the wall behind her. She was just about within reaching distance when she found herself recoiling in surprise as an x-shaped shuriken cut across the lab and violently pierced the belly of circuits just below the switch. There was a flash, a flurry of sparks. She screamed and the panel buzzed loudly before quickly going dead.

"No need to call your friends," said the mysterious Red X. "I won't be staying long." He drew another shuriken from his belt and faced Robert. "Give me the Xynothium."

Robert swallowed nervously. He threw a tentative glance to Vanessa and then one to the intruder. Feeling a small twinge of bravery, he hugged the metal suitcase to his chest and took a step backwards. "No, you can't have it," he said, his voice cracking slightly.

The villain sighed. "Give me the Xynothium _please_."

Robert shook his head and held the case tighter. Behind him Vanessa begged for him to just let the strange man have it, but he wasn't listening.

Red X stood up straight and returned the shuriken to his belt. "You try to be nice," he lamented quietly to himself. "Fine, we'll do things the hard way."

There was a blur of black and grey as suddenly X disappeared from his spot on the floor only to quickly reappear right in front of Robert. With blinding speed he delivered a lightning fast blow to the center of the scientists eyes, snapping his head back and knocking him to the floor. The briefcase flew from his hands and directly into X's waiting arms.

"Do yourself a favor, pal," said Red X, planting a boot in the downed man's chest. "Next time leave the hero stuff at home."

The villain delivered one final stomp to Robert's rib cage and in a flash he was gone.

For a few moments Vanessa was struck motionless. Reality settled in though when Robert let out a pained coughing moan. Immediately she found herself moving. She thought of the phone sitting on a desk at the far end of the room. In a matter of seconds she reached it. She lifted the receiver to her ear, pressed down hard on the buttons and cried, "Security!"

**Red X **

Boots clopping loudly against the floor, Red X ran full sprint down the corridor. To him the brief case containing the precious Xynothium was nearly weightless. He held it tightly against his ribs, in the crevice of his underarm as he ran, cradling it, protecting it. It was his livelihood. It was why he had not been more patient in securing it, why he had KO'ed that scientist. He didn't have time to fool around and he could ill afford to spare even a drop.

He was about ten feet away from the lab when the staccato bleat of a security alarm filled his ears and the hall was bathed in red and white alternating light.

"Damn," he whispered harshly to himself.

Up ahead, the clear, automated doors were quickly becoming ensconced on both sides by slabs of 6 inch thick, reinforced steel. A game ending security measure for most. But not so for a thief such as himself.

Without breaking stride his hand found the path to the red button in the center of his belt buckle. There was an electronic hum; the air became hazy as the space around him twisted and contorted. For a brief moment reality bowed to his will and in a flash he was on the other side of the door. Short range teleportation. It was by far one of the most useful tools in his arsenal though it did eat up a generous amount of power with each use.

It was after teleporting through two more sets of doors, X came across a wave of armed resistance. A group of heavily equipped security guards suddenly filled the corridor, flooding out of doors on both sides, making a human wall that cut the corridor in two. Stopping momentarily he quickly assessed the situation. Eight security officers, each wearing body armor, each carrying a class A31 Excalibur model laser rifle. A significant threat indeed, but not beyond X's ability.

Before the guard closest to him could utter warning one, X raised his fists. There were several _whish_ sounds as four X shaped bolas sprang from the compartments on the tops of his wrists. In a flash they cut through the air, expanding, nearly quadrupling in length, before eventually contracting and binding each guard to the man standing next to him. Shouting in surprise, the men stumbled about the hall, their arms pinned to their sides, their weapons dropped uselessly to the floor.

Deftly, X sprang into the air, leaping over the tangled mass of humanity in a single bound as they continued to swear and struggle in the center of the corridor. He landed as gracefully as a cat, bid his would-be detractors a brief farewell and then continued his exit.

Tapping a button on the side of his helmet he double checked his map and made a turn. The way from which he had come had been a tight squeeze down a ventilation shaft. Going back up it was difficult, but not impossible. Constricting his body, X inched his way up, finally emerging on the roof. The night sky welcomed him with open arms, stars shining like diamonds, the moon a fat pearl.

His trouble was mild but he had been successful. In and out, three full vials of Xynothium and nary a sign of-

"Still at it, huh X?"

The voice came suddenly, yanking his attention to the ledge behind him. That was where he found them, standing just in front of the oversized neon lettering of the WAYNE TECH logo.

The Teen Titans stood in ready formation. Robin out front, Beast Boy and Cyborg flanking him on either side, Raven and Starfire hovering over head. Robin's fists tightened at his sides and he narrowed his eyes in contempt.

"Tell me," he said, his voice thick with disdain. "How much is enough for a thief like you?"

"How much you got?" answered X.

He raised his fist and Robin wasted no time.

"Titans go!" His voice was clear and strong, rising up unabated into the night air.

Red X looked hard at the group of young heroes before him and his eyes drifted to the digital readout on the bottom of his wrist, the one that displayed his current power level. 33 percent. Too low for an extended fight. He would have to be careful, end things as soon as possible.

Robin was the first. With bo staff drawn the young man lunged, hard and fast, looking for a quick KO. For someone so young, his speed was incredible. As fast as he was, though, X was faster. In a flash he sidestepped the strike and countered with a spinning back kick. It caught Robin in the bottom of the right shoulder and sent him staggering. He did not leave his feet, however, and immediately fired back. Twirling his staff he again went on the offensive. Lunging and striking, he went at X full force, held nothing back. Still it mattered little. Even with one hand, X met all strikes, parrying and blocking wth expert precision.

It was when the half man, half machine, Cyborg entered the fray that things escalated. A hulking brute with cunning to match, he was more than capable of taking X apart. All he had to do was get his hands on him. And unfortunately X's focus on Robin found him off guard. An audible smack echoed loudly into the night air as the metallic Titan caught the masked theif hard with a debilitating shoulder tackle. The move sent him sailing in the opposite direction where he crashed violently into N piece of the WAYNE TECH logo.

For a brief moment X was fearful. His body went into spasms as the complex circuitry of the suit struggled to adapt to the damage sustained by the blow. He recovered quickly, though, and in mere seconds he was back up on his feet. He was pleased to realize that, amazingly enough, he had maintained his grip on the case.

His visual readout righted itself just in time to spy a green rhinoceros charging full speed in his direction. The green one, the one that could turn into animals, he was looking to take advantage of his momentary weakness, quickly put him down before he could mount a comeback.

Not going to happen, thought X. Planting his feet, he effortlessly flipped over the creature's back, avoiding the attack entirely and allowing the beast to crash headlong into what remained of the N.

He was no sooner out of harms way then once again he was engaged by Robin. Backpeddling slightly, dodging and parrying, blocking and striking, the two resumed their previous battle. Cyborg joined in and X found himself defending against both of them. Between Robin's speed and precision and Cyborg's slow but powerful swings, he knew it would only be a matter of time before he was overwhelmed. He would have to do what he could to take the advantage. Robin went for another strike with his bo. X countered and snapped the weapon in two with a well place kick. He then delivered a devastating palm strike to the young man's chest, catching him in the lungs and sending him crashing awkwardly to the ground, coughing and sputtering.

X leapt back just as Cyborg lunged at him with another strike. He went to his belt and in a flash drew three X shaped shuriken's. There was an audible hushing sound followed quickly by the dull thunking of steel and metal as the weapons cut effortlessly through the air and pierced the bionic youth's resilient metal frame. Cyborg screamed as a sudden blast of electricity surged through his body, crippling his systems and sending him crashing to the ground.

With his aggressors grounded, X attempted to flee. He got only a few steps when his retreat was cut off by a flurry of green starbolts coming from the sky. It was the Tamaranean girl. The cutie with the smoking hot body. She hovered above him, somewhere near the edge of the building and pelted him with fists of green energy. Oh the things he would have done to that girl if she would only let him.

Changing course, X ran in the opposite direction, doing his best to avoid every bolt as they exploded at his feet. He realized too late that she was merely guiding him, making him go where she wanted. The green one had recovered from his mishap. He was back on his feet, now a hissing and snarling velociraptor. And already in midsprint.

Team work. It was always the worst part of fighting them.

The green raptor was blindingly fast. In seconds it closed the distance between X and itself. There was only one thing to do. As quick as he could X pressed the small grey button on his right forearm. There was an electric hum and all at once his body began surging with new found life.

The feature was new, added only recently. It doubled his speed and strength, increased the sensitivity of his audio and video input and heightened his reflexes. It was a useful mod to say the least, but like all great things it came with a price tag. And that was an accelerated consumption of power. Even without his powerlevel being as low as it was (it was now hovering around 28 percent) he still prefered not to use it. But staring down the jaws of a velociraptor he felt he had little choice.

In an instant it was as if the Raptor's speed had been cut in two. He saw and heard every one of it's footsteps, saw it's jaws open wide and it's claws flex in anticipation of the attack. With great ease he sidestepped every move, every snap and swipe, and worked his way around to its hind quarters. Taking hold of the beast's tail with his free hand he activated the teleporter. In a flash both he and the raptor were in the air, plummeting to the streets below. He gave the green beast a quick, mocking salute before leaving it, teleporting to safety. The way X saw it, if the green one was as clever as he thought, he would recover from the shock and save himself with time to spare.

In a flash X appeared safely on the roof across the street from WAYNETECH. He immediately broke out into a run. Leaping to the next roof top he checked his power level. 22 percent. He was overexerting his systems, but he couldn't afford to stop. Not now. He was just about to leap to the next rooftop when he was abruptly halted. It was as if he had run full force into a brick wall. Taking a tentative step backwards he looked around. In all directions the environment was masked by the same strange black tint. He heard an otherworldly hum and before him there arose, from out of the ground an ashen figure cloaked in blue.

The young woman's eyes glowed white as she stared him down, doing her best to intimidate him. Needless to say she did not succeed. X quickly teleported outside the energy dome she had cast around him. Just as soon as he did he was immediately accosted by tendrils of black energy. Appearing like tentacles they snaked from the depths of several black portals that hovered ominously in the air on all sides.

Showing his dexterity X again avoided capture as he closed the distance between himself and the ashen girl.

He was just within reaching distance when a barrier of green energy exploded in front of him, dividing him from his quarry. The Tamaranean again. Dammit. Why were the beautiful ones always trying to blast him with eye lasers? He threw several X shaped shuriken's in the alien girl's direction. Specially modified to relentlessly track her specific genetic makeup, they would force her to take constant evasive action, keep her busy for a while until she could shake them.

Of course no sooner had he switched his attention to the alien did the ashen girl snap into action, accosting him with lefts and rights. Utilizing his speed he narrowly avoided a kick and moved to her back, snatched the bottom of her cloak and quickly threw it up and over her head, yanking it down in front of her eyes. Testing her desire for revenge he then delivered a swift kick to her exposed rear, knocking her still blinded form to the ground.

He was ready to leave when again the green one returned. Now a fast and powerful gorilla he emerged from out of the sky and immediately halted X's path. Roaring and baring his teeth, the green one pursued him endlessly with blow after clubbing blow. X was ready to counter when the ashen girl righted herself and joined the fray. Once more two Titans were baring down on him. Backing away, he slowly brought a hand to his utility belt. Looking back and forth from one to the other he bided his time. His timing had to be perfect.

In an instant, both Titans attacked. The green one and the ashen girl went in for the kill, looking to bring him down. It was then that he threw it. The specially reinforced bola flew threw the air, expanded and seized the two Titans in its jolting embrace. The green one reverted back to his human form out of instinct just as the two collided, were bound together by the bright red tether. Humorously enough, both ended up eye to eye, and face to face, their bodies pressed tightly together in a way that almost appeared intimate. The green one smiled nervously as the ashen girl's eyes narrowed and her cheeks turned a furious crimson color. X merely chuckled to himself and once more resumed his escape.

He teleported to the ground and quickly disappeared down a dark alley. He ran and ran. He felt sure of himself that he had at last eluded his persuers. He again checked his power readout. 20 percent and holding. He rounded a corner into a small lot in the back of an apartment complex and then-

"What's with you tonight, X?"

Robin stood blocking his bath. His fists were clenched and his stance was rigid. The look on his face was pure determination. "You're usually more talkative than this," he said.

X took a small step to his right. Robin echoed the move and the two began circling.

X scoffed and said, "You think you know me, kid? You don't know anything about me."

**Robin**

Robin could not deny his nervousness. Moving gingerly about the environment he braced himself, watching X, keeping his distance. He cast another quick glance up above (he was thankful that his mask hid his eyes) and saw Starfire was moving into position. In a moment she would be at X's blindside. He just needed to keep him distracted.

"I know enough," said Robin. "I know you're as predictable as the seasons. Money, jewels and Xynothium. It's never difficult to figure out where you're going to strike."

"And yet you still haven't caught me, yet."

"No. Not quite yet."

By the time X caught on, it was too late. From out of the sky came Starfire. Soaring down like an eagle she snatched the metal case out of his hands.

"No," cried X, panic heavy in his voice as he followed Starfire's path with his eyes, reaching out to her in futility. "No, no, no!"

Ignoring X's desperation, Robin unleashed a twin pair of bird-a-rangs, new concussive models specifically designed to penetrate the defenses of the suit and render the wearer helpless. They cut through the air and collided with X's distracted frame, exploding in a sudden flash of light and smoke.

Drawing another bird-a-rang, he stood and waited, looking for any signs of movement as Starfire watched patietnly from the air, the metal case still in her hands. Seconds passed. There was no sound. No movement. Suddenly an angered roar filled his ears. He looked up in time to see Red X hovering in the air to Starfire's back, fists glowing with crimson red energy. He could only watch as the theif raised the glowing fists above his head and brought them crashing down upon the alien girl's neck. The fury and power, it was unlike anything he had ever seen out of the masked man. Starfire immediately buckled and was sent careening to the ground. The metal case flew from her hands and landed, skidding across the pavement.

Robin felt panic overwhelm him as he watched Starfire slam violently into the wall of a nearby building and drop lifelessly to the ground. He wasted no time running to her, silently hoping and praying that she would still be alive when he got there.

"Starfire," he called to her, gently touching the sides of her face with his hands. The fear in his voice was obvious, but he didn't care. "Starfire, can you hear me? Please wake up." He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard her moan.

He looked over his shoulder when he heard the sound of footsteps. A few yards away stood Red X, clutching the briefcase to his chest, his head bowed slightly in a way that almost suggested he was ashamed. Such a thing was impossible to know for sure, however; Any emotions X had were safely hidden away behind his mask.

"You," Robin hissed through his teeth as he stood.

"She's a tough chick," said X after a moment. "She should be fine. But you never know. You might want to make sure."

Guarding his hand with his cape, Robin slowly reached to the back of his utility belt.

"I don't want to keep doing this any more than you do, kid," continued X. "But you have no idea how important this stuff is."

"Do tell." In flash Robin drew the weapon from his belt and took aim. It resembled a pistol but with a much wider barrel. He pulled the trigger and there was a loud popping noise.

X recoiled. He held the briefcase out in front of his body like a shield. And then everything stopped. Seconds passed with neither one of the two moving a muscle. Then X heard a high pitched beeping noise. He looked at the case and saw a small circular object sticking to the front. It was metallic, about as big around as a jelly jar lid, stuck to the case with a kind of quick drying gel that had already hardned into an unbreakable bond. But what caught X's attention, what made panic rise up in his soul, was the electronic readout in the center of the device. The one that was swiftly counting down 7, 6, 5...

X was panicked. An explosive. it had to be an explosive. Was he crazy? There was no time to find out. Dropping the case to the ground he fiddled with the latch. He could hear the countdown, the high pitched beeping of the bomb continuing to count at short steady intervals. It pounded in his ears like a drum. Quickly he threw the case open. He had just wrapped his fingers around the first vial of Xynothium when suddenly the beeping changed. No longer slow and steady it cried sharp and quick, over and over again, warning of the imminent blast. His hand went to his belt.

**A Minor Victory **

In a flash X was gone. The briefcase continued to beep as Robin calmly drew a small remote from his belt. With a press of a button the beeping stopped. He had hoped that X would give up on the case entirely, but he supposed getting away with one vial was better than getting away with three. However, none of that mattered at the moment. His only concern was Starfire.

Gingerly Robin took the alien girl into his arms. She moaned, lightly pawing at his face. Even in such a state, her strength was still impressive. Against his cheeks her light pawing felt more like stiff slaps, but still he held her close.

It was then that Cyborg arrived, appearing in midsprint from around the corner.

"Rob," he called. "Where is he? He get away?"

Robin nodded and Cyborg swore in frustration. Robin then gestured to the briefcase still lying on the ground. Cyborg hurried over, snapped the case shut and picked it up.

"You okay?" ask Robin. "I saw you go down back there."

"I can't speak for my pride, but yeah I'm okay. Nothing my backup system's can't handle." Cyborg's tone became serious as he leveled his gaze and Starfire and said, "What about her?"

Robin looked to the girl in his arms and said, "She took a hard hit."

"Well, let's get her back to the tower and get her checked out."

As they walked, Robin's thoughts turned to Red X and the evening's battle. Something was bothering him. In the heat of things he wasn't able to fully place it, but now that he had time to stop and reflect he realized what it was. X had been different. It was something in the way he acted, something about the way he spoke, and carried himself. X had always been brash and arrogant, but that night, Robin saw something different in him. Something new. It worried him to admit it, but there was no mistaking. What he saw in the mysterious thief that night... It was desperation.

**Home**

The building was rundown, dilapidated, and had long ago been condemned. At some point in time it may have been a nice place to live. It wasn't difficult to imagine children running up the steps, flowers growing in window boxes, neighbors chatting idly with neighbors. But not anymore. Now it was nothing more than a place of squalor and decay. A temporary get away for those with nowhere to go.

X trudged up the steps of the old apartment building. He placed his hand on the door and effortlessly pushed it open. Despite his slumping shoulders and dragging feet, he wasn't tired. No, not tired. More like depressed. Hauling himself up the steps he looked to his wrist. His power readout glowed bright red, 4 percent. It wouldn't be long before he was running on reserve power, what little there was of it.

'Too much teleporting,' he thought to himself.

Reaching the top of the stairs he made a hard right and headed straight for apartment 2b. He opened the lock and stepped inside.

The apartment was much like the rest of the building. On its last legs. Everywhere there was dirt and grime. The floor boards creaked with every step and the ceiling was spotted from end to end with black splotches of water damage. Mold and dust choked the air. Rats and cockroaches made their homes in the dark corners of every room. No one would dare call this place a home. No one but him.

He made his seat in a damp, dirty arm chair and watched himself reflected in the dust covered screen of the television set. He looked to the vial in his hands. Precious Xynothium. It had always been important. But nothing like it was now.

He threw another glance at his power readout then at the vial.

"No time like the present," he said, and opened it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Crossing Over **

"It can't be true."

Robin didn't bother waiting for the others. By the time they made it back to the tower he was already in full sprint, heading down the stairs and through the halls without a hint of hesitation.

"There has to be some other explanation."

Bursting through the doors of the armory, he made a beeline straight for a secluded section hidden away at the far corner of the room. Observing that the steel security door was still sealed tight he felt a modicum of relief wash over him, but still he had to be sure. Punching the security code into the key pad, he watched eagerly as the mammoth door swiftly slid open, granting him access.

"There had to be..."

But there wasn't.

His heart sank as he took sight of the vault door, amazingly torn from its hinges, lying like a dead animal on the concrete floor. Beyond that, nothing more than just a hollow imprint where the suit used to be.

"No..." whispered Robin, the word a vain attempt to nullify what had evidently transpired under his very nose. In one evening Red X had crossed over, turning from the world of fiction into something very, very real. What this meant...

Only time would tell.

**"The Lab" **

It was little more than a nickname. The room itself, though containing some of the Tower's most advanced equipment, in actuality more closely resembled a workshop or an auto garage than anything else, much less a science lab. On any given day one could easily walk in and find every last black countertop filled to capacity with half-constructed weaponry and spare mechanical whatsits; with fuses, circuit boards, nuts and bolts, everything in varying shapes and sizes. It was the place where Cyborg and Robin (The Tower's resident technophiles) could tinker and fiddle, create new gadgets and modify old ones. And around the tower, it was a well known fact, if both Robin and Cyborg occupied The Lab at a single time, it meant something big.

It was late afternoon. Leaving the electron microscope, the one set up in the furthest most corner of the room, Cyborg approached the computer terminal along the western wall. It was an impressive machine, even to someone as electronically inclined as Cyborg. A beast of monolithic proportions, it was tall and sleek, peppered with dozens of winking green and yellow lights which flashed like lightening bugs against its metallic surface. It was almost ominous in a way, like the kind of advanced piece of equipment one would see being operated by wild eyed scientists in old sci-fi movies. The effect was only heightened by the machine sitting just to the computer's left. A dense expressionless brick of technology, it didn't appear to have any immediate purpose outside of simply being a dense expressionless brick of technology. But of course, as the old saying goes, appearances can be deceiving.

Servos whizzed and whirred in Cyborg's right hand as he made his way to the terminal. Compartments and panels slid open and closed, and in a matter of moments each of his fingers were transformed, becoming like USB connectors. Effortlessly he slid each digit into the appropriate slot on the terminal, essentially becoming one with the computer. Immediately the large black monitor to the right of the machine became an indiscernible blur of images. Things that looked like mathematical calculations and digitally rendered diagrams along with strings and strings of dense binary code blinked by in rapid secession. It was an uncanny display that would have had any onlooker, schooled in the ways of computer science or otherwise, completely in awe.

However, while the robotic half of his mind continued to function without incident, processing the data at an alacritous rate, the human half could not help but express irritation at the continuing presence of the young man behind him, the one currently watching his every move with unwavering scrutiny.

Not even bothering to cast a glance over his shoulder, Cyborg sighed and said, "You know, Rob, even with my CPU doing most of the real work, it's still hard to concentrate with you constantly looking over my shoulder like that."

"Sorry," the young man managed after a moment or two. "Just call me concerned. I'd rather this not take any longer than necessary."

"Don't worry, man. I told you; I got this."

"Are you sure it's going to work?"

Unplugging himself from the computer console, Cyborg took a step back and rubbed the bridge of his nose with the thumb and index finger of his non-shifted hand. "Well, it's like I told you," he said after a moment or two. "With all things involving Xynothium its very touch and go. But I've done the calculations a thousand times; I've run tests...If I had to put money on it...Yeah, I believe it's going to work. But we really won't know until we get it out there and try it." Still sensing Robin's unease, he then directed the young man to the microscope where he had stood mere moments ago. "Look I got a sample already set up. Why don't you go and have a look. Tell me what you think."

With little else to do other than take Cyborg up on his offer, Robin carefully positioned himself in front of the microscope, peered into the eye piece.

Again things were silent. Just as Cyborg found his focus starting to return, however, so too did he find Robin suddenly calling to him.

"Uh Cy?" said the masked teen, the sound of utter confusion in his voice. "Is it supposed to be green?"

Cocking a perplexed eyebrow, Cyborg turned. "Green?" he echoed in complete bewilderment.

Unplugging himself once again, Cyborg quickly approached Robin's back. Nudging him away from the eye piece, he swiftly took his place in front of the microscope and looked inside. To his unwelcome surprise the specimen under the slide was indeed green. This alone was confusing enough, but it was heightened by the fact that the specimen also appeared to be alive, drifting back and forth on the slide with a clearly organic motion.

Cyborg would be unable to completely voice this discovery, however, as a sudden development had him recoiling in horror from the microscope, the strong desire to dash to the other side of the room shooting through his body.

An eye. It didn't seem possible but he had seen it, a human eye suddenly staring up at him from the slide. Horrified and somewhat nauseated, Cyborg retreated several steps back. Robin seemed ready ask him what was wrong, but halted when he realized the arrival of a third party to the room.

"Beast Boy!" The name came erupting out of Robin's mouth, his voice a mixture of anger and disapproval, at the sight of the changeling suddenly appearing on the countertop alongside the microscope, a wide and mischievous smile on his face.

The green teen paid the Boy Wonder no mind as he seemed more focused on the still visibly shaken Cyborg standing a mere few feet away. Resting on his haunches, the shape-shifter laughed and pointed, saying, "Oh man, dude, you should see the look on your face."

Still somewhat in shock, Cyborg, fists clenched, took a challenging step forward. His voice, a high gasp to start, lowered as he spoke, gradually gaining in strength. "Beast Boy...what...? You were in my microscope? You little- What were you doing in there?"

Beast Boy smirked. "Only giving the best jump scare of my semi-professional career," he said, jumping down from the countertop and breaking out into another fit of obnoxious laughter.

Cyborg seemed ready to explode. His hands were already raised and ready to wring the changeling's scrawny neck when Robin hastily stepped in, putting himself between the two and quelling any violence that was certain to take place. "Was there something you wanted, Beast Boy?"

The green teen's laughter slowly subsided. "Oh, right," he said, clearing his throat. "So I was thinking, right? About our last battle with Red X. Now, none of us really know anything about him, right? He's a total mystery. But thanks to my extensive knowledge of the vague and the unknown I've compiled a list of-

"B, is this more crypto-zoology, conspiracy theory junk?" asked Cyborg suddenly.

"What? No...well, yes, but trust me I think I'm really on to something this time."

"Good bye, Beast Boy," said Robin, clearly already having heard enough.

"Ok, get this: A Vampire scout from the fourth dimension comes to our world in search of sustenance-"

Each taking a shoulder, Cyborg and Robin began the task of hastily coercing the still yammering Beast Boy to the exit.

"Or maybe a half dog, half pig, half robot was created in a laboratory by a disgruntled postal worker. He finds out about your Red X technology-"

"Good-BYE, Beast Boy," said Robin again.

"Or maybe the suit is sentient like a transformer or maybe its inhabited by a pirate ghost, always searching for treasure in-"

With an equal amount of force the two shoved the changeling out into the hall. Stumbling slightly, the young man would only have the time to turn around and babble one more line about zombie clones before he was cut off mid-sentence by the hissing thump of the sliding door.

Muttering irritably to himself, Cyborg quickly made his way back to the computer terminal. "Sentient vampire ghost-robots," he griped. Robin, without saying a word, followed close behind. He plugged himself back into the terminal and resumed his work. After a few minutes, he appeared finished.

"Here we go," he said, issuing one final command.

Instantly, the afore mentioned brick of technology to the computer's left began humming and whirring, sounding for all the world like a high tech washing machine as it set about its designated task.

"Alright, that's it," said Cyborg after taking a few moments to double check that all was going as planned. "It's just a waiting game now."

"How long?"

"Couple hours or so."

Robin nodded. He turned and began making his way to the door.

"Where're you going?" questioned Cyborg, watching the young man swiftly make his exit.

"I have a...an appointment," answered Robin with only mild reserve.

And without saying anything further, he activated the door and left the lab.

**Appointment**

With an electronic whoosh the door to the roof slid open. Squinting beneath the eyes of his mask, Robin stepped out into the sunlight. Though the rooftop was empty, the thought that he might have been alone faded quickly, as he soon found his vision turned to black and a warm body pressing against his back.

"Guess who?" a sweet, bird-like voice whispered in his ear.

"I'm not very good at guessing," he answered, unable to help his smile.

"Oh please try."

"Hmm...Raven?"

There was a soft giggle.

"No, try again."

"...Jinx?"

"Uh-uh."

"...Cyborg!"

Instantly his sight returned and suddenly he found himself staring into Starfire's bright emerald green eyes. The young girl was hovering just in front of him, a combined look of surprise and mild annoyance on her face.

"I do not sound like Cyborg," she said, defiantly crossing her arms in front of her chest and pouting. "Why would you say something so mean?"

Starfire had never been great at recognizing things like sarcasm as well as the more subtle aspects of humor: Robin had forgotten this, and, regretting his joke, was quick to apologize. However, no sooner had he begun the process of explaining himself than he saw the girl's eyes soften and a sly smile form on her beautiful lips. All at once realization hit. "You...you were messing with me," he said, somewhat in awe that the Tamaranean had actually put one over on him.

Turning her body and eyeing him from over her shoulder Starfire gave him a knowing smile as if to say, 'Yes, what of it?'

Robin grinned and, in response, raised his hands and took a quick step forward attempting to wrap the alien girl in his arms. Such an attempt was met with failure, however, as Starfire swiftly took to the air, hovering backwards across the rooftop. Undeterred he followed, thrice leaping in her direction, fingers outstretched, attempting to get any piece of her in his grasp, only to find nothing but air each time.

"Come, come," teased the smirking Starfire, still hovering just out of reach. "You will have to do better than that Earth boy."

Robin's smile eventually gave way to quiet laughter as the two continued their game of cat and mouse. Eventually he would catch her, and while it was clear that it was only because she had allowed herself to be caught, as the two kissed under the warmth of the noonday sun, it was also clear that neither one particularly cared.

**Date**

Long blue thermos in hand, Robin filled the cup, dispensing the fizzy, red liquid in one long and even pour. He then turned to where a smiling Starfire sat patiently watching his every move, and handed her the drink.

Eagerly accepting, the Tamaranean girl raised the cup to her lips. "This beverage is wonderful," she said, taking a small sip. "Please, what is it called again?"

"A Shirley Temple."

"Shirley Temple," repeated the girl, as if committing it to memory. "Well, Miss Temple certainly had good taste."

Robin chuckled and Starfire smiled, and the two settled into a period of comfortable silence.

The picnic ground on which they had settled could not have been more idyllic. A soft grassy hill located at the end of a sylvan glen of oak trees just outside the city, it was peaceful and quiet, and possessed a breathtaking view of the city skyline. Blanketed in the comfort of their surroundings, the two were free forget about the world and simply enjoy one another's company. In Robin's case however, such was easier said than done.

Not being one to completely turn off, the Boy Wonder gradually found himself thinking back to previous day's events. Starfire, oblivious to this, was therefore somewhat taken aback when he suddenly blurted out, "Are you okay?"

Responding to the question as if it was the silliest thing she'd ever been asked, she said, "Of course. Why would I not be?"

Robin, realizing his need to clarify, looked to the ground and said, "I mean since what happened with Red X. Are you sure you're okay?"

Now fully understanding his words, the girl gave an understanding nod and smiled. "I believe the expression is...Right as a rainstorm," she said confidently.

Robin chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Actually you just say rain."

Starfire flushed. "Oh then that too," she said with a smile.

Again things went silent. Starfire, now fully aware of Robin's distress, placed a gentle hand on his knee. "Robin?" she said, pulling his attention from the interior to the exterior. "Are you okay?"

Robin sighed and once again lowered his gaze to the ground. "I'm sorry," he said finally.

"What do you mean? For what do you feel sorry?"

"I'm sorry that you got hurt. It never should have happened."

"Robin, you cannot blame yourself for that. It was simply something that happened; nothing more. It's an inevitable part of the risks we all take."

"I know that. What I mean is...it never should have happened because Red X never should have existed in the first place.

"Robin..."

"Everything he steals, has stolen; everyone he hurts... I'm at least partly responsible for all of it. His very existence was a result of my own weaknesses and shortcomings." Raising his head, Robin turned his gaze away from Starfire, towards the city. As he spoke his voice grew in strength and determination. "Now more than ever I have a responsibility. Bringing X to justice and destroying the suit so it can never happen again, it's the only way I can truly make amends for everything that's happened."

Leaning forward slightly, Starfire attempted to again put herself in Robin's vision. "Robin?" she said. "In the lab...what have you and Cyborg been working on?"

Slowly Robin turned to her. "Something that's going to rid the world of Red X once and for all."

**The Zest of Life **

_"It's all about the thrill, kid."_

_"Thrill."_

_"Yeah, kid. The thrill. The zest of life. That's what it's about: life. Life and living. We all get about three score and ten in this world, some maybe a little more than others, and it's up to us to do what we will to make sure they count for something."_

_"Three score and ten."_

_"That's right. You want to find out what it means to live?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Well, stick with me, kid. I'll teach you everything I know."_

The sun had had not yet gone down. The light in the apartment was minimal; The apartment itself looked as if an electronics store had exploded, every flat surface covered from end to end with fuses and circuit boards, mass tangles of wiring, and small mechanical doodads and gizmos; neither factor deterred him from his work.

The computer, which sat in the corner of the living room, wedged in between a rotting book case and a dusty roll-top desk, was of course hot property, that was to say all the various components used to build it had been acquired illegally. Living in an abandoned apartment naturally left him with no power, but he scarcely needed any. Thanks to a little foresight and some ingenuity, the machine had been running on the same small vial of Xynothium for almost two years.

Sitting up straight, bathed in the glow of his Frankenstein-ed machine, he stared at the electronic readout before him. He stared and he sighed and a deep feeling of anxiety befell him. The answer he had been seeking was not what he received and unfortunately it seemed that all of his efforts had been for not.

His next course of action was obvious. He needed better equipment, better components. That meant hitting up an army supplier at some point in the near future, a task that, despite all his skills and abilities, would undoubtedly be a serious challenge. But what other choice did he have?

Until he could do some proper reconnaissance, however, it would have to wait. His goal in the mean time would have to be securing the remainder of the Xynothium from his botched raid on Wayne Tech. The local news had carried the story and apparently there was word that the remaining two vials were to be transported to a new location in the coming days. This meant a golden opportunity to swoop in and make up for his previous failure. And when opportunity knocked he was always sure to invite it in for drinks.

For several minutes, he remained in his seat in the corner of the living room, unmoving. Eventually climbing to his feet he made his way across the dirty, mold covered floor of his apartment, to the closet at the far end, just to the left of the kitchen entryway. In one swift motion he opened the door, and all at once the contents of the closet emptied. Like a child's block tower, the stacks of money, the mountains of jewelry, the bracelets, the necklaces, the diamonds, emeralds and rubies, all the fruits of his labor came spilling out onto the floor in a quiet cacophony, burying his feet up to the ankle.

Once again, for a long time he did nothing. Simply stood and stared unmoving at the mess before him. It was all here. Every dollar, every ring and bracelet, every precious stone. It was all here. And all so useless. It was the truth that he often tried to ignore, but on this particular evening could not seem to escape. There was no value to be had in this grotesque wad of paper and metal and rock. There was no use for any of it. It was nothing.

Shuffling away from the pile he faced the window and the ever growing nightlife within. After a period of time that found the sun completely disappearing behind the horizon, he turned.

It was there, in the living room. The skin draped over the back of the couch, the black rubber, the white and red and grey, Red X, it was all his and always had been. The things he stole may have had no value to him, but something else did: his purpose, his reason, his life.

The last time he checked his power readout had been 98 percent.

"Hell with it," he muttered.

It was time to go back to living.

**Final Stop**

"Hey, Bill."

"What?"

"How many bags were in here?"

"12."

"I'm only seeing...seven, eight...I'm only seeing ten."

The officer's eyes went wide and his breath became short. "Oh don't tell me that," he said. "Please don't tell me that. Aw no."

From six stories up, X was unable to make out the dialogue between the two security officers as they continued their fruitless search through the back of the armored vehicle. He couldn't make out their words, but their body language made it clear as day what they were saying. He had to admit, the sight of the two of them pacing back and forth, pointing fingers, almost on the verge of full blown argument, knowing that it was all because of him and his flawless execution, it still satisfied him the way it did at the very beginning. It was exhilarating knowing that he was still just as good as he ever was.

Holding the twin sacks of stolen money in one hand he gazed at them as they dangled, slowly spinning to and fro in his grip. The sight was no more enjoyable than it had been the hundreds of times before. Still, he supposed, in the grand scheme of things it served its purpose. It was still a factor in the equation. He could not simply ignore it.

The early morning transport was to be his last stop of the night. The sun would be up within the hour; it was time to return home.

He wasn't certain when they had gotten there (he wondered if perhaps they had been following him for sometime) but as X turned to make his exit he suddenly took sight of a trio of thickly shadowed figures standing only a few yards away. Tall and obviously fit, they stood side-by-side in perfect formation, feet shoulder width apart, fists at their sides, the same width of space between each of them. Taking sight of X, neither so much as cleared his throat, only stood motionless in the dark, watching.

"Can I help you boys with something?" said X after a moment or two.

"It is time. Time to return home." The voice seemed to be coming from the middle figure, though X couldn't be sure. It's tone was strong but not overbearing. Each word was spoken as if plain and simple fact, neither order nor command, only statement. "You will come with us. The Master has ordered that you come with us."

"Sorry, pal, you got the wrong guy," said X maintaining his trademark cool, despite being very perplexed. "I don't know any Master."

"The one designated Red X must return home," came the voice again, though this time seeming to be coming from the figure on the right. "You will come with us."

"Yeah sorry. That's not gonna happen."

"If he refuses...force him."

It was uncanny. X had never seen anyone so fast. One moment all three figures were standing where they were, the next thing he knew, the one in the middle was bearing down on him. It was only thanks to his finely tuned reflexes that he was able to remove himself from the path of what would have been a devastating and debilitating kick.

Rolling to safety, he turned and faced his attacker. And immediately he froze. It was a sight he was familiar with, but one that he'd never witnessed anywhere outside of a mirror. The grey gloves, the black cape, the ghastly white skull, all the details that made up his own identity, so too did the figure before him possess.

It didn't seem possible, but X was now staring into the cold white eyes of his twin.


End file.
